Schools provide educational and mental health support to influx of undocumented teens

The PBS Newshour featured Oakland International High School, which is one of the six Oakland public schools I'm helping through Ride 4 A Reason.

If you'd like to donate to raise essential funds for school enrichment programs for six public schools in our very own districts of Glenview, Rockridge, Temescal (3 in our neighborhood), and Uptown Oakland. Donations will go to Brewer Middle, Claremont Middle School, Emerson Elementary School, Oakland International High School, Oakland Technical High School (John's parents' alma mater), and Westlake Middle

To donate, please visit:

http://rideforareason.dojiggy.com/artdesuyo

Baby it's F'in Cold Outside for Us West Coasters

Distance 64.0
Moving Time 4:48:12
Elevation 4,770ft
Avg Speed 13.3mi/h
Max Speed 33.8mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 136bpm Max 175bpm
Calories 2,203
Temperature 50 (started out with 33)

I always like to start any training blog by thanking the volunteer TRLs who help all levels of riders train. I appreciate Mary Vencil and co-TRLs George Head, Aaron Lewis, Rachel Carl, Sam Kimbrel, Don Brown, Dawn Tso, Andy Fyfe, and Rex Gordon.

Many of us born and raised in the Bay Area are wimps when dealing with what we think is cold weather. BUT, but when one cycles in 33-degree weather with frost lingering on some roads waiting to welcome cyclists, I shall be the first one to don the King of Wimps Crown. When I got up at 5:00 a.m. this morning to get ready for the Orinda ride, I didn't realize how unprepared I'd be for the BRRRR day.

I layered, but when I put on my "Windstopper" gloves only to be met with freezing fingertips, I was in for a rude awakening. My fingers never warmed up until late morning. I felt as if I were skiing in the Sierras.

The group was large and fun. I cycled out with TRL Sam Kimbrel, Joe Carlin, and Christine Ho - I tried to keep up with these fast riders. Met Christine Ho (Po-Ling's friend) and Suse Lee's GF. Most of the crowd cheered when Tea Dough showed up.

The best thing that happened because I decided not to cycle back home, I got a ride from Sam which let me take a goody bag from Richard Lagunte that included a jar of jam made by Edna - this delight is for those who donated $50 or more.

What I learned today ...

Distance 43.0
Moving Time 3:45:10
Elevation 4,780ft
Avg Speed 11.5mi/h
Max Speed 36.7mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 127bpm Max 161bpm
Calories 1,634
Temperature 54

So today was 2 degrees warmer. I rode with Mark Tidyman and I learned that one should never ride two days in a row after doing something one has never done or hasn't done in quite some time.

After eating and being not-so-active Christmas Eve and Christmas, I decided to run on the treadmill for one hour. I felt good on Friday after the cardio workout making myself believe a I had just burned away all the calories consumed the two consecutive days before. So on Saturday's ride towards the end, I hit a wall and couldn't ride as fast as I had done earlier in the day - even with eating and hydrating. Mr. Art, that's because of what you had done Friday. I thought nothing of it and felt I would have no problems with my Sunday ride with Mark.

I met Mark at the entrance of Lake Temescal with tons of energy, until we headed towards Tunnel Road. My legs all of a sudden felt like jello, but I continued and let Mark know that I most likely would not be able to keep up with him. I was right. At one point during our ride, I thought to myself, could I really take another 7 days of riding for 545 miles. Of course I could and will because I'm not going to over train or do something my body doesn't agree with like running for an hour one day followed with back-to-back cycling -- so, that's what I learned.

And, I continued to cycle with Mark way ahead in the distance ... time for rest.

I wanted to and ...

Distance 62.6
Moving Time 4:28:22
Elevation 3,953ft
Avg Speed 14.0mi/h
Max Speed 32.0mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 134bpm Max 175bpm
Calories 1,989
Temperature 52

Baby it's COLD outside. Brrrrrr. I don't think I ever warmed up. I wanted to skip today's ride, but I thought about why I'm training and that those living with HIV and are need of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation resources usually don't have the luxury of choosing, so I got out of bed and got ready for the ride.

Thank you Mary Vencill for this lovely ride with co-TRLs Jane Maxwell, Andy Fyfe, Aaron Lewis, Lionel McNeely, Rex Gordon, Rachel Carl, Sam Kimbrel and unofficially Tanner. I rode off with Sam (rode the shorter ride), Jeff (super fast rider), and Marc. Thankfully, both Jeff and Marc knew the route, so I didn't have to keep on looking at my route sheet until I hit a wall and could no longer keep up with Marc on our way back to Orinda from lunch. Jeff was way ahead skipping rest stops and most likely lunch.

Oakland to Berkeley to Three Bears

Distance 53.0
Moving Time 4:23:50
Elevation 4,442ft
Avg Speed 12.0mi/h
Max Speed 37.1mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 130bpm Max 169bpm
Calories 1,808
Temperature 63

Quite interesting, fun ride with Neel Eargood TRL and co-TRLs Michael Lewin, Ruth Cohn and Sports Basement Berkeley Trainer Diane.

So before I rode out, I posted the following on Facebook's East Bay Wildcat's page, "For those of you training today (and everyday), be safe - it's wet out today."  The initial excitement came from being able to use a clean bathroom at Sports Basement Berkeley before riding out.

The beginning of the ride was a fine overcast day.  As soon as we got onto Tunnel Road, Grizzly Peak and Wildcat Canyon, we were presented with wet, wet roads.  The earlier part of our day felt as if we had rain while riding Grizzly Peak and Wildcat Canyon with the trees weeping with joy from all the rain from the night before.

And then this is what happened ... I thought I was being careful, slow and deliberate going down Wildcat Canyon to 3 Bears. At one of the sharp turns, my front tire slipped, i headed towards the ravine, my bike almost slipped from under me, I was in the wrong lane with no cars or other cyclists. WHEW!!!  Quite a close call.  My heart was racing and I slowed down a bit more until I was sure the route was dry.  All in all, still a wonderful ride.

Sports Basement Berkeley

AIDS/LifeCycle Riders' Dream Restroom 1

AIDS/LifeCycle Riders' Dream Restroom 2

AIDS/LifeCycle Riders' Dream Restroom - CLEAN

AIDS/LifeCycle Riders' Dream Restroom - More Clean Rooms

AIDS/LifeCycle Riders' Dream Restroom - Hot Water

Riders

TRL Neel

More Riders

TRL Michael

TRL Ruth

Jason Lew's donation puts us over $5,000

Thank you Jason for your donation your donation brings us to $5,005.

Here’s what that $5,000 can do:

$5,000 can help can help 8 HIV-positive people receive safe and stable housing for one month.
$5,000 can cover a full year of laboratory testing for 18 patients.

What's a guy to do on a rainy Wednesday?

How about another round of thanks to recent donors to AIDS/LifeCycle? That sounds wonderful. Many thanks to ...

Jude Pollack, Jean Francese, George and Stephen, Doris Dare and Phil Kavanagh, Wayne Hill, Ann and Bill, KooKoo and Jake, Anonymous x2, Calvin G. Lum of SF Vet Housecalls, Lawrence K. Lo, Michael Lee and Derek Chong, Layne Sanders and Stephen Schnell, and Daniel Holt.

You're making a difference in the lives of people living with HIV.